Charms
by Suffering Angel
Summary: Riku never was one for trends, so he had to wonder what got Sora into one.


I don't own KH.

_**Charms**_

Riku never was one to join in on passing crazes.  
It once was sandals; he kept to shoes.  
It moved on to hats; he grew out his hair.  
He went along with sunglasses since they were practical, but despite common belief it wasn't because it suited him – or so he claimed.  
It was no wonder then that when the new fad hit the Islands on which he lived and everyone had at least one of _those_ along – Riku went around 'in the nude'.

And why shouldn't he? When everyone were special, the bland became unique, and seeing his group of friends, Riku certainly seemed to be one of the odd ones out.

The current frenzy, you see – was _charms_. It could be anything, really, from pins to hangers to random dolls and toys and special, order-made nonsense items Riku couldn't care less about.  
He was hardly away from them though – seeing how despite it all, Riku _did_ like to have people around.

Tidus and Wakka shared a collection and often bickered about who got which decoration to hang on their school bag; their collection mostly held sport-related items.

Selphie had a hard time opening her bag. Aside from the abundant amount of fluffy, fuzzy items that hung off the thing, every time someone would so much as breath in her direction, it all would rub amongst themselves and make quite a racket due to an overflowing amount of bells.

It stood in quite the contrast to Kairi's own bag which was oddly enough adorned with a single decoration. Riku thought the gesture was somewhat endearing though – it was the sea-shell charm shaped like his best friend the girl had made all that while ago. It was true the charm was on loan, he knew, and was to be given back to the girl at the end, yet as Riku made his way across the old hanging bridge leading to the tiniest island next to the tiny island, he had one all-but nagging question bounce about in his mind –

Why was the girl the one with the charm on her bag and not the boy whose back he was staring at as he so leisurely sprawled over the bent Paopu tree trunk?

"Excellent." The older between the two teens hummed as he approached and reached to put his bag on his best friend's stomach. "I was looking for a place to put my bag on."

The tanned boy blinked before returning to look out at the ocean. "As long as it's comfortable."

Riku blinked before pouting; he removed the bag. "It's not fun if you're willing."

Sora laughed and flashed a peace sign. "Score."

Riku rolled his eyes before poking his friend's side. "C'mon, lazy bum, up we go. Them swords won't spar on their own, you know."

Sora rolled his eyes before hopping off of the trunk and reaching to pick his own bag up. "Right, right, I hear ya, I'm coming…"

Yet even as Sora headed towards the bridge connecting back to the bigger island, Riku himself remained planted where he was, even when Sora turned to look at him over his shoulder. "And now _you_ stopped. What gives?"

Aquamarine eyes were set on the bag the brunette was holding over his shoulder. He thought he wasn't the only one fighting the trend off; turns out he was wrong, as the charm so naturally hung off the boy's bag. More so than the fact he had it though, Riku found himself taken aback by its shape.

There it was, hanging off of a braided green twine, standing out against the plain dark brown of Sora's bag – a bright yellow star with a single plastic leaf attached next to the hoop holding it all together.

Sora had to blink as he realized what held Riku's gaze so firmly; he laughed a moment later, thought.

"What? You want one too? Sorry, I really don't think it'd suit you."

Riku found himself gulping. "A… a Paopu…"

Sora reached to scratch his nose, his cheeks reddening slightly. "You gonna mock or tease? If so, I'm not really in the mood for it. Had enough from Tidus and Wakka; kept laughing about how I found my match and all that…"

Riku pouted for half a minute before sighing. "Sure, right, you never care about _my_ fun… Ow!" He protested as Sora's bag met the side of his head. "…ok, I had that one coming." He admitted before receiving a huff.

"You so totally did." Sora replied before snickering. "But I forgive you."

"Well, that's good to know." Riku offered and scratched the back of his neck before looking down at Sora's bag again. "But still… that's a rather…"

"Awkward charm for a guy? A _straight_, _available_ guy?"

Riku nodded in reply and found himself staring as Sora tilted his head so he could get a better view of his own bag. "It is, isn't it…" He hummed with half lidded eyes, and Riku noted with slight dismay the sense of subdue that settled over his friend. It was to be expected though, he reckoned with a gulp; he had heard… about that charm…

"So…" He heard himself say, as though from afar. "So… where _did_ you get it from?

The answer to that one took a while to be voiced. Sora seemed to be taking his time, eyes set intently on the charm as it shifted over his bag, blown about gently by the wind. He closed his eyes a moment later, and not even a shadow of a smile lingered on his lips.

"So-"

He never managed. By the time Riku dared to speak, blue eyes fluttered open, revealing what Riku realized he never could've expected. There was tiredness, exhaustion even, to the point it seemed painful; there was regret, remorse; and then there was that odd, contradicting warmth, almost fondness, that caught Riku completely off guard.

It hardly made him any more ready for the actual response.

_I-_

His voice not yet having died out, Sora walked past Riku, a bitter smile on his lips. It was the biggest lie he would ever utter, Riku knew, yet as the brunette turned to call out to him now from afar, he was also painfully aware that more so than it also being the truth – it was an honest, sincere and all but desperate heartfelt wish.

Where did he get it from… or should he have asked _why_ he got that specific one…

The charm looking so much like the good luck charm given to him by the girl that never existed…

"Riku?"

"...Coming."

He couldn't blame him for it.

_I forgot._


End file.
